CHICAGO – Only the Cubs could select someone to throw out the ceremonial first pitch who is rooting for them to lose.

“I’m a Giant!” Lee Smith bellowed while standing on the grass at Wrigley Field. “Hell yeah, I’m a Giant.”

Smith, the former all-time saves leader, played the bulk of his career with the Cubs but is in his 17th season as a roving pitching instructor in the Giants system. He agreed a few weeks ago to throw out the first pitch for Game 2 of the NL Division Series Saturday night.

He didn’t realize whom the Cubs would be playing.

When he did, he had to secure a blessing from Giants GM Bobby Evans. Then he had to ask the Cubs a question.

No, he was told. He can’t wear black and orange.

“Who am I rooting for?” Smith said. “The team that signs my checks!”

It’s more than corporate loyalty for Smith, who said he wished he had played for the Giants during his All-star career.

“I tell you one thing, the Giants take care of their own,” he said. “You don’t find that in baseball. Teams, they’re not loyal. This organization is. It’s the best one I’ve ever seen. Other teams talk about it, how the Giants take care of each other. It’s unbelievable. Bobby Evans makes it a point every spring training to talk to the kids about that.”

Smith actually had to take leave of his duties in the Giants’ instructional league for top prospects in Arizona. He had to get farm director Shane Turner to approve a brief departure. He promised to be back for Sunday morning’s workout.

Smith marveled at homegrown players like Kelby Tomlinson, Joe Panik and Conor Gillaspie who are making an impact now, joking that, “I think they got good because of me throwing batting practice and cutting them up.”

Smith wore a blue, logo-free pinstripe shirt as he threw a strike to the plate. The crowd, obviously unaware of his loyalties, cheered him.

Smith made one other calculated wardrobe decision. He left his three World Series rings at home.

“Got them all in my gun cabinet,” he said. “I make sure I can take a peek at ‘em now and again, because there aren’t too many ol’ Cubs boys who’ve got one of them.”